Hollande, Ciolos tour Airbus Romania helicopter factory

France’s President Francois Hollande and Romanian Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos on Tuesday went to Ghimbav for a tour of the local Airbus Romania helicopter factory.

The two officials were shown an H215 helicopter, the aircraft type to be manufactured by Airbus in Romania.

Ciolos and Hollande were welcomed by aeronautics students of the Transylvanian Collegiate Technical High School of Brasov attending this year the first classes in aeronautics provided by the school.

Official sources say the first H215 helicopter should be ready by the end of 2016.

Accompanying Hollande on his state visit to Romania are about 30 French corporate CEOs.

Hollande: This is a project of European dimensions able to consolidate Europe’s defence industry

At the Airbus Helicopters factory of Ghimbav on Tuesday, France’s President Francois Hollande said the factory is a project of European dimensions able to consolidate Europe’s defence industry.

“This is a project of European dimensions because it is also able to consolidate defence industry in Europe. This is what we want to do and what I want to recommend at the Bratislava summit in some days’ time. We must cooperate (…) in order to be able to secure the conditions for Europe’s defence policy,” Hollande told a joint news conference with Romanian Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos.

Romania’s Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos said on Tuesday that France’s Airbus investment in Ghimbav, Central Romania, puts the country on the world map of helicopter manufacturers, adding that the Romanian Government might purchase H215 helicopters to be manufactured at Ghimbav.

“To the aerospace industry, the future is built on past experiences. (…) It’s an investment that creates 350 new jobs (…), which puts Romania on the world map of helicopter manufacturers with a new product that we also hope to see operated, flying as soon as possible. We’re going to look at the offering really carefully too. It’s a new product. In addition, it has the local maintenance advantage. We are looking at it for the Ministry of Interior, as well as the Ministry of Defence, where there is a need for multipurpose combat helicopters. We’re looking at this offering and we hope that, just as Dacia Renault has proved competitive on the market, this product proves it competitiveness (…) let’s conquer the global market together!” Ciolos said at a joint news conference with French President Francois Hollande.